Civilian Control Line to Move 2 km North; Deregulation of Protected Areas 150 Times the Size of Yeouido Pushed

 
As part of its national task of "easing defense regulations for civil-military coexistence," the Ministry of National Defense is pushing to move the Civilian Control Line (CCL) north by an average of 2 kilometers and lift restricted protection zones equivalent to 150 times the size of Yeouido.

The Ministry of National Defense announced measures to improve military facility regulations on Wednesday (June 17), with these plans at the core.

First, the adjustment of the Civilian Control Line will be pursued across border areas starting next year.

The Civilian Control Line is a boundary line established to restrict civilian access for military operations in areas adjacent to the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), where high-level military activities must be guaranteed. It is designated within a range of 10 kilometers south of the MDL.

Although the distance of the Civilian Control Line varies by region, it is set at an average of 8 kilometers south of the MDL.

The Ministry of National Defense determined that the Civilian Control Line could be adjusted to an average of about 6 kilometers from the MDL after reviewing topographical conditions and operational plans for each region. Through this, it estimated that "controlled protection zones" covering an area of about 270 square kilometers—equivalent to 90 times the size of Yeouido—would be downgraded to "restricted protection zones."

The ministry plans to adjust the Civilian Control Line in phases starting next year by reinforcing control measures, such as relocating civilian control posts and installing security fences and surveillance cameras (CCTV).

The defense budget will be utilized to cover the costs of adjusting the Civilian Control Line.

In addition, the lifting of restricted protection zones spanning about 450 square kilometers—equivalent to 150 times the size of Yeouido—will be pursued by resetting the criteria for restricted protection zones.

Restricted protection zones are areas south of the Civilian Control Line within a 25-kilometer range south of the MDL, with approximately 2,900 square kilometers of land in border regions currently designated as such.

In restricted protection zones, development is restricted as prior consultations with the military are mandatory when constructing new buildings.

Currently, even areas with low military operational importance are collectively designated as restricted protection zones. The Ministry of National Defense has decided to optimize the scope of these protection zones by reviewing the necessary protective distances for each military base and facility and considering actual operational factors.

The ministry plans to sequentially lift restricted protection zones starting in the second half of this year through operational reviews by each unit and topographical surveys.

The total area of protection zones to be lifted or eased through the adjustment of the Civilian Control Line and the resetting of restricted protection zone criteria is equivalent to 240 times the size of Yeouido.

However, the ministry added that these figures are based on map assessments and may change during actual topographical surveys and reviews by individual operational units.

The removal of unnecessary military obstacles in border areas that cause traffic congestion and spoil the surrounding landscape will also be pursued.

Next year, the Ministry of National Defense plans to prioritize the removal of 23 military obstacles located in areas such as Yangju and Paju, whose military utility has diminished, among those requested for removal by local governments.

In the second half of this year, the ministry will establish an annual improvement plan through a comprehensive survey.

Furthermore, to reduce waiting times and administrative delays for entering the Civilian Control Line, an entry management system utilizing mobile apps and simple authentication will be established starting next year.

In addition, the approval and authorization procedures for agricultural drone flights in border areas will be significantly simplified, and information on idle military land will be regularly provided to local governments twice a year.

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-baek, who directly announced the measures, said, "While past military facility regulations were appropriate for the environment at the time, today's reality demands a new approach." He added, "Improving military facility regulations is an inevitable choice to respond to the changing security environment and ensure conditions under which the military can focus on its primary combat missions."

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.